Day to night: Makeup edition

This is a look that I actually wore the other week to a nighttime barbecue. A little over the top for a casual event, perhaps, but any excuse to put on some makeup and get out of my loungewear is a good excuse. During the day I was doing some shopping around my local shops, so I kept everything quite simple and weekend appropriate. A layer of BB cream, a little winged liner, dramatic lashes and a pink gloss. To amp it up for night I decided not to take off all my makeup and start over, not out of complete laziness but a lack of time. These next steps will take you from day to night very quickly. It may look like a lot of products, but a quick sweep here, a swipe there and you’re ready to own the night. 

Step 1: Concealer is your ultimate weapon. To avoid plastering on another layer of foundation, apply concealer to any blemishes or areas where foundation has worn off from the day. I always find that I end up coming home with a completely bare nose, where for some reason my BB cream has just disappeared. Perhaps a makeup phenomenon? If your concealer is light enough you can also sweep it under the eye area, highlighting and disguising any fatigue from earlier on in the day.

Product: Maybelline Fit Me concealer in 10 

 Step 2: Intensify the base. As we are not adding any foundation we can do with a little facial enhancement. Apply bronzer under the cheekbones with a contour brush, achieving ultimate cheekbones. Add a beautiful glow to the face with a highlighter, applying on the tops of the cheekbones to further accentuate them, the bridge of the nose and the cupid’s bow. This will definitely take the look from sweet to sultry. 

Products: Revlon Photoready Bronzer in Bronzed&Chic, Real Techniques contour brush (part of set), theBalm Mary Lumanizer

Step 3: Control the shine. If, like me, you can get a little shiny from being out all day, then this is a crucial step. Using a large fluffy brush, swipe over the T-zone to keep the greasiness away. A big beauty mistake is having a shiny looking face, so use a translucent powder to make sure you look dewy, not oily. 

Product: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent

Step 4: Give those lashes a pick-me-up. If you cannot bear the thought of curling your lashes post-mascara application, feel free to skip this step. For girls like me whose lashes have a tendency to flop throughout the day, curling them will give you a false-lash looking appearance without the fuss. 

Product: Shu Uemura eyelash curlers

Step 5: Perfect that pout. In an attempt to clean my lips from the remnants of my lipgloss, I gave them a rub with a makeup remover wipe. This worked out even better than I expected; rubbing them gently will not only remove the residual lip product, but will subtly scrub them. What you’re left with are perfectly primed lips ready for lipstick application. This is a gorgeous night appropriate lipstick that not only looks beautiful, but the proceeds got to the Centre for Women’s Mental Health and Lifeline. This product is available from Priceline for the Liptember campaign, but hopefully it will still be in stock. 

Products: Simple Kind to Skin cleansing facial wipes, Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Liptember mauve 

Shoe haul

I’m not sure whether I’ve voiced my aversion to shoe shopping on her before, but lean in a little closer as you’re about to hear a tale that may only be told once. Recently, in a very casual shopping trip I managed to score three pairs of shoes. Three pairs of shoes in one trip! This is a complete rarity for me as I find that either the shoe doesn’t quite fit, they don’t have my size, the strap cuts me off, my feet look huge, the style isn’t exactly what I’m looking for or they’re too expensive for the quality. For some reason my shoe dreams are never quite realised; but I guess I can’t expect every pair of shoes to resemble one of Charlotte Olympia’s creations. 

Tru Blue shoes was my first stop, which is a discount shoe store that sells high quality shoe brands like Tony Bianco at an outlet price. These pink heels cost me a grand total of ten dollars, the price of a sandwich nowadays. I thought that these would be perfect for those parties that may include dancing on the grass or stepping in the mud. Classy. The gorgeous hot pink colour will really make a statement and the platform with the ankle strap will add comfort. 

The next stop was Kmart, of course. What would a blog post be without mentioning Kmart? They have a very comprehensive selection of shoes ranging from heels, sandals, boots and slippers(my favourite!). The first is a combination between a heel and a sandal; more aptly named the “flatform.” Firstly, they are in the all-complementing shade of black and they came to twenty dollars. What attracted me to these is they solve the problem of what shoe option to choose for those awkward situations that are too causal for a heel, and not casual enough for just sandals. These will give me a little height and I think they’ll fast become my most worn shoe this spring/summer.

The third pair, again from Kmart, is perhaps my favourite of all three. They are quite reminiscent of the & other stories pair or the Zara sandals that Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup seems to mention quite a bit. In an ode to Anna (and we share the same nickname, by the way), I was already sold on these black and leopard print pair. Normally leopard print can be garish and a little tacky, but I think the placement just on the band around the foot stops it from being tasteless. I wore these on the night that I bought them, and they were fairly comfortable. I imagine myself wearing these to dinner on balmy summer nights in the city. 

The Royal Melbourne Show

The sun was a little bright, should have definitely wore my sunglasses for this photo!

Maybelline’s Superstay 7 Day nail colour in Eternal Lilac, which I have already worn four times since I bought it only last month!

Having a real life Marylin Munroe moment, hence the squinty grin! 

Just a little close up of the makeup: Maybelline master precise liquid liner and Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm stain in Darling

A mandatory selfie before I left, of course!

My favourite fascinator from the Arts&Crafts section, one I wish I could wear to the races!

A gorgeous handmade pink dress in a classic cut; dreamy!

Goodness, another selfie, but it’s okay this time because it’s with my pink Big M!

Always a highlight of the show, Dippin’ Dots! Literally icecream made into little balls that taste amazingly delicious

My Minnie Mouse hat! I loved that it complemented my all pink outfit!

Buying a showbag is always a must-do. This year I went for Elle magazine’s bag as I thought I could convert it into my beach bag in the summertime! Not to mention getting three magazines and endless samples!

Earlier on in the week I visited the Melbourne Show; a family tradition that insists we must attend every year. Although as I grow older the excitement and the idealised atmosphere of the show fades, and I feel that somehow the quality diminishes. It is almost like every year is never better than the one before, something quite depressing to be honest. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the day as the weather was gloriously warm and were entertained by each others’ company. Of course I took the day to study other people’s outfits and makeup application, exclaiming more than several times how ‘pretty’ that lady looked, or how much ‘I loved her pants!’ As a typical fashion girl, in the dog pavilion I was much more engaged with the dog owner’s outfit than the dog itself, but you can’t blame me; she was wearing green on green!

I find that every year I attend the show I try a little too hard with my outfit, don’t try hard enough or don’t end up being happy with it. This may be because my style is not typical of every other girl my age, where I would much rather wear a pink skater skirt than high waisted denim shorts. I had a typical “girly” moment where I literally tried on every skirt-top combination in my wardrobe. It looked like my room had been raided, which is highly improbable as my closet consists of all inexpensive buys. I finally decided on a purply pink skater skirt with this honeycomb knit cropped jumper. I liked the sweet tones and felt that I wanted to wear something a little daring, but also fairly feminine and youthful. The show was definitely not the time to bring class, I guess being my way to maintain a sense of nostalgia. The colours paired perfectly with my freshly painted lilac nails, and I went for a cat eye liner with a sheer purple lip. My white Converse were mainly chosen for their practicality, but the white did pair nicely with the purple and pink. Who knows, maybe I’ll absolutely loathe this outfit around the same time next year, but for now I’m fairly content. The colours matched excellently with the Minnie Mouse hat I bought, and also with my strawberry Big M, so I was one very delighted little girl again. 

Berry stained pout: Summer's new lip

Though Melbourne’s current weather may not be indicative of the changing season, we are most definitely in spring. Warmer weather translates into pastel shades, lighter layers and shorter hemlines. As for makeup, the overall application is a lot less heavy with the focus on creating a healthy, glowing base. Bold lips are also always on trend during spring and summer. What surprised me is that the lips seen on the models at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week Runway 2 were deep, berry tones usually reserved for autumn/winter. Not only did the lips suit every look, they added a sense of edginess to spring styling. I was actually ecstatic that this lip trend has carried on from winter as I didn’t get the chance to wear my bold, berry lip. Last year I wore wine toned lipsticks every moment I could, whereas this year I just didn’t seem to choose them out of my collection of lipsticks. I won’t be wallowing in my sorrow of a moment passed, as I have been given an opportunity to crack out my favourite lipsticks yet again. It’s actually very logical that burgundy lipstick is worn throughout summer as it reflects summer’s berries; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. I can just imagine the juices forming around my mouth, staining my lips a lovely shade of raspberry red. If you don’t want to wait for berries to give you the perfect pout then you can always rely on makeup. Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in 107 is a cult classic shade that is a mid tone wine; mot too red, with just the right amount of purple. The formula is a comfortable wear with a satin finish, giving it the appearance of a matte lip without the dryness. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 09 is also a nice choice for something a little more red tinged with a creamier finish. Lipsticks at the ready, a bowl raspberries nearby, you are now ready to summon the warm weather. 

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week Recap

Today I’m finally sitting down and recounting the amazing experience that was fashion week. Being my debut into fashion week, I was unaware of what to expect. As the rumours suggest it is an extremely busy, very vibrant and extravagant affair in honour of fashion and the emerging season. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week was held in the Melbourne Town Hall, an architecturally exquisite building that really reflected not only the sophistication of the event, but the clothes themselves; a collaboration of contemporary and classic style. One thing to note, though the red velvet steps look like a scene from a movie, you may not look like an actress walking up them. Trying to preserve my dignity I held onto the railing, taking one step at a time, never letting my eyes leave the steps. I managed to somehow climb the stairs and smile at the top. Rock climbing you will never catch me do, but climbing steps for fashion week in heels, I just took it to the next level extreme (please note my sarcasm, it can be a little strained at times). With about fifteen minutes until the show started we made our way to our seats, walking past the row of photographers, people gracefully toying at their wine glasses and the beautiful stage with its dimmed lights. Though I may not have sat in front row and just missed out on the complimentary gift bags, in retrospect I felt a sense of comfort. Though the fashion elite equipped with their “indoor” sunglasses stared back at me from the other side of the stage, their was hope in me that one day I would have the opportunity to be sitting in front row. As voices quietened the stage began to almost glow, reflecting a bright aura that only complimented the beauty of the pieces. Unfortunately, the brightness did not appeal to my phone camera very much, hence the poor quality of the photos (If you’re cringing as much as I am please have a look here for better quality photos of each look). The show was a spectacle of ‘dreamlike couture, contemporary/minimalist sophistication, exquisitely embellished pieces and cool, confident street wear,’ as that’smelbourne website suggests. What I loved most about the show was the appeal of it all; something that came from the wearability and the attainability of the pieces. The clothes weren’t reserved for just the models, they could be translated into everyday life. For my review of some of my favourite pieces from the standout designers, read on...

YB J'AIME

 A very wearable and quite easy piece to start. I first fell in love with this as it is a jumpsuit, an item I think looks quite classy without the effort. Of course I don’t have model-like legs to make this piece fashion worthy, but it’s nothing a little pair of heels can’t fix. Also, the choice of black was interesting for summer and something perhaps unexpected, but definitely reflective of Melbourne style. The frill screams summer to me and I hope to add this piece, or at least one similar, to my holiday wardrobe. 

This was the only decent photo I had of this print as it was carried across a few outfits, but its essentially a red and white print that is quite unusual, almost reminiscent of retro style. Something about it had my phone clicking away in an instant, needing to immediately document it as an “add to cart” piece. This dress, though it seems plain, is quite modern as it has a collar, but a cutaway neckline. In essence it is a V-neck, three quarter sleeve dress with a white collar attached. Breaking it down like that almost devalues its artistic flair, but this just shows how these pieces can become a part of daily fashion rotation. Time to checkout. 

Alice McCall

What made me photograph this piece was the colour, needing a photo to prove that spring fashion does involve an injection of pastel shades. I love the heat appropriate take on a trench coat, allowing the movement in the fabric to create a sense of relaxed tailoring. Having just bought a beige coat very similar, I may just have to get one in each colour of the rainbow. 

 This is the direct juxtaposition of the initial look; short, sweet and playful. While the former radiated a relaxed and very elegant style, this playsuit is definitely for play. Though it shines an innocent and childlike aura, it also has a sense of sex appeal that is reserved for adults only. The pistachio shade keeps it from looking too “boudoir” like and amps up the frivolity. One for running through a field of daisies in. 

I had originally seen this collection on Nicole Warne’s website, lusting over the beauty of the pieces. I was very excited to recognise this outfit when it was modeled on the runway, making sure to capture an acceptable photo. I surprised myself when I fell in love with these pieces as I’m not usually drawn to digitally printed items such as these, but they have been created so tastefully with just a hint of honeyed femininity. An outfit that I perhaps will wear only in my dreams. 

Manning Cartell 

This piece really reflected the minimalistic vibe of the entire night, relying on tailoring and print to make a statement. I love the deep V in the top, and how the lapel looks almost like a formal vest or blazer. The skirt is absolutely beautiful too, with its subtle monochromatic print. With the clever addition of the black seamed pockets the entire look is unified, making for one very appropriate choice for fine dining. Pinot noir anyone? 

I had to photograph this as I’m a little impartial to a pleated midi skirt, but isn't it stunning? A very simple piece, but well executed. The unexpected seam running through the middle of the skirt adds interest, and almost highlights the amazing pleats. One to add to any summer wardrobe. 

Lui Hon

I loved this outfit as the print is very reminiscent of houndstooth, one of my most loved autumn/winter trends. To see this print shifted into spring makes me quite excited, as I can finally wear that houndstooth mini skirt I never got around to wearing. Thankyou Lui Hon! This two piece is very different from the coordinates circling the online fashion world at the moment. The just above the ankle cut trousers and the structured top are a nice adjustment to a summer dress. Skip the crop tops and invest in this co-ord this spring. 

This may very well be my favourite look of the entire night. To be quite honest I’m not really sure why, I would have expected to love one of the more colourful outfits. What I believe appeals to me about this is that it is a redesign of an off the shoulder top, which I go crazy for, but instead it takes the fabric across the décolletage and fastens it at the arm in a knot-looking tie. This may not be the most practical top as it does hinder the mobility of the right arm, but who says fashion must be practical? I could almost imagine myself wearing this in a bar in Spain, enjoying the warm summer breeze as it licks the waves of the ocean. This is why I love fashion, you can live in your own daydream.

Thankyou Melbourne Spring Fashion Week for an amazing night and a warm congratulations to all the designers. I’ll see you same time next year. 

What was your favourite look of the night? Let me know in the comments below. 

OOTN#1 Fashion Week

This is the outfit that I wore to my very first fashion week on Wednesday that just passed. A full recap of my favourite looks and designers coming next week! This is the occasion that I had to look my most fashionable, and for me that translates into incorporating trend driven pieces with those that reflect my personal style. While some like to dress head to toe in the latest trends, I prefer to take one key idea or item, in this case the colour white, and work around it as the focal point. Personally, being fashionable stems from a confidence and a classiness that exceeds any clothing that one might wear. For me, it is all about the way someone wears an item that makes it truly desirable or covetable. 

Planning for this outfit I had the colour white in my mind, knowing I wanted something off the shoulder and a midi length, floaty skirt. On a trip to Kmart I spotted these shoes for $12.50. I could not believe how gorgeous they were; black and white netted material, a court style, not too high and a pointed toe! From that point on I was persistent on a monochrome outfit, which is actually quite a rarity for me. I always manage to incorporate some sort of colour into my styling, so perhaps this was my way of experimenting with my style for the one occasion a year that encourages it. In the same shopping trip I also spotted this white clutch with 3D daises and hints of gold hardware which is very reflective of my style. I could not believe that I could find pieces for fashion week in Kmart! Just don’t tell Anna Wintour, or should I say Australia’s Edwina McCann. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to at least hire designer outfits, but for now my Kmart and sale items will suffice. Next came a few hours browsing on Asos, which did not leave me too overwhelmed, quite surprisingly. This Fashion Union skirt became the piece of the entire look as I just love a high waisted, bell shaped skirt, though I can be a little hesitant to sport it. The detail on this skirt is so amazing, as the overlay has sketched-looking flowers that are almost ironed or sewn onto the sheer fabric. It makes for a very full and voluminous skirt from afar, and an extremely intricate and intriguing skirt up close. Lastly, the white off-the-shoulder top was an easy purchase that I can wear repeatedly, and didn’t take much thought as I already owned a very similar sweetheart shaped Asos top. 

As for the makeup, I kept the base quite classic with the focus on the lip. A quick browse of Elle magazine secured a hot pink glossy lip as the pick of the season, so the Maybelline Colour Elixir in Fuchsia Flourish it was. Bronzed skin is a necessity for spring/summertime and I honestly cannot do a full face of makeup without a little contour! For my nails I found the perfect nail stickers in the bargain bin in Priceline; how classy! They matched perfectly with my skirt, with the same monochrome theme, and the floral detail. They lasted pretty well, until I took them off today (Sunday), so about four or five days in total. I kept my hair natural and sleek, which is how I prefer to have it with long, gold earrings. 

I must say that a crop top is perhaps not the most appropriate choice for temperatures resembling mid winter, but I had to get into the spring mood somehow. I’ll sacrifice warmth for fashion, the true sign of a fashion crazed girl just trying to stay “in vogue.” 

Outfit details

ASOS Gold Earrings (similar here)

ASOS Bardot Crop Top

Fashion Union Cutwork Midi Skirt

Kmart Court Shoes

Kmart White Daisy Clutch